Regarding climate change and gender inequality, a region like Balochistan comes to one’s mind. Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change and in Pakistan, Balochistan is most exposed to its severe impacts. The province is facing climate vulnerabilities in floods, drought, heat waves, moisture loss, and waterborne diseases. The impacts of climate change are beyond gender, but the women in the region are affected differently than men. Gender inclusivity in climate action is crucial in Balochistan due to its distinct geography and climatic features. The unrecognized heroes of the Balochistan climate change movement are women. Utilizing natural resources, managing water, and agriculture are the main focus of their everyday life. Their contributions are, nonetheless, frequently disregarded. It is not just a question of gender equality but also a strategic necessity for sustainable development to acknowledge and utilize women’s capabilities in climate action. This article sheds light on the overlooked role of women who are resilient to climate change and promotes the empowerment of “Women in Climate Action” in Balochistan.
Balochistan is facing significant environmental issues as a result of the intensifying climate change. Communities all around the world are affected by climate change, but frequently the most vulnerable populations, women in particular bear the brunt of its effects. Since there are fewer urban centers and economic opportunities for both genders the reliance of people of Balochistan is more on agriculture. In Balochistan, women work in agriculture extensively, a field that is quite vulnerable to climate change. On one hand, water scarcity has affected crop production and on the other hand, irregular precipitation in 2022 became a reason for floods and destroyed 304,000 acres of crops that were ready to harvest. These consequences have directly impacted the economic well-being of the people of Balochistan. It created food insecurity in the province. Almost 18 districts of Balochistan are facing food insecurity, and 49% of the province’s women suffer from malnutrition. Owing to food shortage, 49% of pregnant women are suffering from anemia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth. The women in Balochistan have found sustainable agricultural techniques including diversity of crops, organic cultivation, and rainwater storage. These ways and means can enhance the agriculture sector of Balochistan. Local communities of farmers can become more resilient if women-led initiatives are implemented properly. Women of Balochistan are in a unique position to influence the use of sustainable agriculture practices due to their in-depth understanding of the ecosystem of the region.
Climate change poses a serious health risk to the people of Balochistan, particularly women and children. Shortage of water in the region has compelled people to use unclean and dirty water from pounds which became a cause of water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis A and typhoid fever. These diseases also affect the women’s reproduction cycle and pregnant women may face complications and miscarriages since there are no proper health facilities in the province. There is no river in Balochistan and no proper source of water other than groundwater, women struggle a lot and cover miles of distance to fetch water for their homes which takes a lot of time and physical effort. Covering long distances far from their homes, it becomes a threat to their security since they can be a soft target for harassers, rapers, and thieves in far-flung areas. To overcome this challenge women of Balochistan have found ways to store rainwater for their daily usage. Asking a woman from a water-scarce village Monga Char in Kalat District Balochistan, she said that during excessive rains all the women of the village combined and made a sub-surface water reservoir getting the idea from Balochistan’s traditional water reservoir system called Karez System to store the rainwater for their daily usage. In this way, they get benefits during floods. If there was a proper mechanism these rain waters had the potential to restore the water of the Karezs in Balochistan for harvesting.
Small-scale projects that generate green energy can help mitigate climate change while also empower women financially. Sources like micro-hydro plans, biogas plants, and solar-powered public centers can be led by women. These initiatives give people access to renewable energy sources in remote areas, while simultaneously lowering their dependency on traditional energy sources. Many women in Balochistan are working to mitigate climate change but their efforts do not get attention at provincial and national levels. Although they face a lot of obstacles still passionate about taking action.
Despite playing a crucial role, women in Balochistan confront several obstacles that prevent them from actively taking part in climate action. According to the United Nations Climate, Energy and Environment, almost 67% of climate-related decisions are still taken by men and less than 30% of women play a role in it. In Balochistan, the patriarchal society plays a major role in it. Women are deprived of their basic right to education. Because of cultural barriers, they have restricted mobility to urban centers, healthcare facilities, education institutes and decision-making places. This backwardness of women leads to the backwardness of the province which is already lagging compared to other provinces of Pakistan and facing the severe consequences of climate change.
There is a need for the acknowledgement of this issue that if women did not play their role in climate action, then mitigating the impacts of climate change will be very challenging. Women have different ideas than men to mitigate climate change. They are in charge of running houses and serving as the primary caretakers. They have a unique viewpoint on resource consumption, disposal of waste, and day-to-day activities that either exacerbate or mitigate climate change. Since they suffer the impacts of climate change differently than men, they also know how to overcome these challenges.
If women get involved in such actions that lessen the impacts of climate change, then it can be a great achievement for the province since almost half of the province’s population is female. Balochistani women can get involved in campaigns of advocacy aimed at influencing regional and local climate policy. They may help create gender-sensitive climate strategies that address the unique difficulties encountered by women in the area by sharing their concerns and experiences. Their activism has the power to drastically change climate policy frameworks. The following obstacles must be overcome such as mobility restrictions, unequal participation in decision-making processes, and poor education accessibility.
To conclude, it is obvious that the effects of climate change intensify pre-existing vulnerabilities, particularly impacting women more severely in terms of food insecurity and malnutrition, water shortages, and health concerns. Involving women in the decision-making process will not only help them to address these challenges they face due to climate change but also their new ideas can help the province grow. Also, they have notions on how to get benefits from these circumstances. For bringing women into the decision-making process education plays the most important role. It will also empower women and decrease gender inequality in the province. By getting an education they can work to tackle these gendered-based climate challenges.